


Sonnet 29: A Drastoria Fic

by torestoreamends



Category: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: F/M, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Malfoy Family Feels, Pre-Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Romance, Shakespearean Sonnets, Sonnets, Young Scorpius
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-18
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23721133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torestoreamends/pseuds/torestoreamends
Summary: On a sunny spring afternoon, Draco and Astoria discuss Scorpius’s education, and Draco recites a sonnet.Inspired bythis videoof James Howard.
Relationships: Astoria Greengrass/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49





	Sonnet 29: A Drastoria Fic

It’s a blazing spring day. The sun smiles down out of the cerulean sky, and the rose garden is in its brightest bloom. Draco and Astoria stroll hand in hand among the vibrant flowers, Scorpius running ahead of them, shouting about butterflies and bees and his favourite roses.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had that much energy in my life,” Astoria says, as Scorpius darts from bush to bush, barely pausing for a second.

“He certainly exhausts me. I can’t imagine what it’s like for you.”

“Oh, it’s wonderful. Just... overwhelming. I wish I could keep up.”

Draco squeezes her hand. “Me too.”

Astoria watches for a moment as Scorpius stoops down to inspect a daisy in the grass. “We still haven’t decided what we’re doing about school, have we?”

Draco glances at her, but she’s inscrutable. “No, I suppose we haven’t. I assume you have some thoughts?”

“Daphne’s sending her children to a local Muggle school. For a general education, of course. They learn all sorts. Reading and writing, music, geography, Muggle history, even Muggle science. It sounds quite fascinating.”

Draco sniffs. “I’m sure it is...”

“You don’t approve.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” Astoria shoots him a little smile, and he rolls his eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t approve... I’m just not sure I like the idea of Scorpius being exposed to-“

“This is going to be a dangerous statement.”

Draco lets go of Astoria’s hand and pokes her gently in the side. “No, it’s not. Be quiet and listen to your husband for a moment.”

“I’ll shut up and let you dig yourself a hole. Go on.” She presses a finger to her lips.

“I’m not digging!”

She raises her eyebrows at him and doesn’t say anything.

He sighs. “All I’m trying to say is that... I don’t like the idea of Scorpius being exposed to a substandard education. Which by no account means that all Muggle education is substandard. On the contrary, I’m sure it’s excellent. But I do read those newspapers you leave lying around, Astoria. Those politicians meddling with Muggle education... It all seems terribly inconsistent, changeable as the wind, and the exams... Imagine taking a curious child like Scorpius and crushing all the joy out of him with all those exams. That’s what I’d be worried about. I mean look at him.”

They both fall silent and watch Scorpius. His attention is focused on one particular flower. When he realises his parents are watching him, he looks up and grins at them.

“There’s a bee!” He points at the flower and peels the petals back, twisting the stem to show them. “Look!”

“He loves the world,” Draco murmurs. “He loves learning. I don’t want him to lose that.”

Astoria twines her fingers with his and leans into him, turning to look up at his face. “That’s not the answer I expected you to give. I’m sorry.”

Draco lifts her hand up and kisses it. “I haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt, don’t worry. It’s something I’m working on.”

“No, you earn it every day. I just forget sometimes.”

Draco bows his head to hide what he’s worried might be a blush. “Anyway... Neither of us went to formal school before Hogwarts and we turned out alright. Eventually.”

“We did. But I think it would be nice for him to meet other children and make some friends. Muggle education experts say social development is very important.”

“We could take him to visit his cousins more often. I like Daphne. She has an excellent wine cellar.”

Astoria snorts and digs her elbow into his ribs. “What’s wrong with our wine cellar?”

“It’s much more fun to drink someone else’s expensive wine. Drinking one’s own can be somewhat painful. In fact, that’s something we could teach Scorpius during his home education.”

“We could... train him to be the world’s youngest Master Sommelier?”

“No. We could teach him the value of graciously accepting other people’s hospitality. Social education, just like your Muggle experts suggest.”

“Somehow, I’m not sure that’s quite what they were thinking of...” She links her arm with his and they set off walking in pursuit of Scorpius, who’s disappearing down the lawn in the distance. “What else would you teach our son, if he were to be educated at home?”

“History, obviously. Languages; we could even start him off with some basic runes. Literature — all the classics.”

“Are we including Muggle classics in this?”

“Such as?”

“Austen. Brontë.”

Draco wrinkles his nose. “Romance novels?”

Astoria pokes him in the side. “What would you have picked?”

“Shakespeare.”

“Says the man who was disparaging romances.”

“At least Shakespeare also wrote a great many tragedies, and history plays.”

“And sonnets, some of the most beautiful romantic poetry ever written.”

Up ahead, Scorpius starts running back towards them, waving his hands in excitement about something.

“Some of the sonnets may be relatable...” Draco admits.

Astoria grins and squeezes his arm. “Such as?”

“Such as... Sonnet 29.” Draco releases Astoria so he can turn to face her properly. He clears his throat. “‘When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes; I all alone beweep my outcast state; And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries; And look upon myself and curse my fate; Desiring this-’ Hang on, that’s wrong. I don’t think I can remember it...”

Astoria smiles. “You skipped a couple of lines. ‘Wishing me like to one more rich in hope; Featured like him-’”

Draco nods and starts reciting again, speaking along with Astoria. “‘Like him with friends possessed; Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope; With what I most enjoy contented least-’”

“Mummy, Daddy!” Scorpius bounces up to them, waving something in his hand. Astoria puts a finger to her lips and scoops him up into her arms.

“Sshh, Daddy’s reciting a poem for us.”

Scorpius twists round and stares at Draco, wide-eyed, as Draco continues, trying not to be tripped up by the fact that his audience has suddenly doubled in size.

“‘Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising; Haply I think on thee.’” He reaches out and taps Scorpius on the nose. Scorpius giggles and goes cross-eyed as he follows Draco’s finger. When Draco pulls hand back, he clamps his own hand over his nose, still grinning. Draco smiles as he carries on.

“‘And then my state, (Like to the lark at break of day arising from sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven’s gate; For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings; That then I scorn to change my state with kings.’”

When Draco finishes, Astoria taps her fingers on Scorpius’s back in applause, and Scorpius cheers. Draco gives them a small bow.

“Thank you, thank you. I’m stunned I remembered that.”

“It was pretty,” Scorpius says. “What‘s it mean?”

“It’s about love,” Draco replies, shooting Astoria a smile. “And hardship. And redemption, I suppose. Very relatable.”

“It was written by Shakespeare.” Astoria brushes her fingers through Scorpius’s hair. “He was a famous writer. Your daddy and I might be going to teach you about him, along with lots of other things, so you’ll know lots and lots before you go to Hogwarts.”

“Oh...” Scorpius breathes in wonder. “I want to learn about everything.”

“Exactly.” Astoria kisses him on the forehead. “Now, what did you want to show us?”

Scorpius waves his hands down the garden. “There’s an amazing flower! I don’t know what it is. You need to tell me. I’ll show you.” He wriggles his way out of Astoria’s arms and tears away across the grass.

Astoria sighs and wraps an arm round Draco. “I don’t think you could constrain that in a classroom even if you tried...”

Draco shakes his head. “No. I’d pity the poor teacher that had to try. Although I suppose that’ll be us...”

Astoria laughs. “You might come to regret trying to home school him.”

“I don’t think so. I don’t think I could ever regret anything when it comes to him.”

Astoria leans her head briefly on his shoulder. “You should consider reciting sonnets more often, you know. I could get used to it. You have a nice voice for them.”

Draco gives her a squeeze. “For you, I could consider becoming a hopeless romantic.”

“Shame, I thought you already were.”

Draco laughs. “We’ll see. Now, I suppose we should hurry up and find out what our adorable bundle of exhaustion wants to show us.”

“I bet it’s not a flower. I bet it’s another toadstool.”

“Basic Herbology. We should add that to the list of things to teach him.”

“Definitely... He has the whole world to explore.”

“But the best people to show it to him, even if I do say so myself.”

“Mmm.” Astoria pauses in her stride so she can lean up and kiss him. “Even if you do say so yourself.”

They wrap their arms around each other and fall into an awkward, lopsided stride as they wander happily through the sun drenched rose garden, following the sound of Scorpius’s distant laughter.


End file.
